Over the years that are have been several methods and devices used to repair ruptures in underground water and sewer mains. Point repair is a means used to reline cracked or broken areas of various types of conduits, primarily sewer lines, that does not require removal of the damaged conduit. Point repair is generally used to reline small areas of pipe that are damaged and may also be used to repair the entire line.
In order to locate the rupture within a conduit system, a small video camera mounted to a cable is introduced into the system lines. If a rupture is located, the distance from the opening of the conduit to the rupture is measured in order to accurately align the point repair device proximate the rupture.
A very common repair process involves first saturating a repair material or "sleeve" with an adhesive bonding material such as an epoxy. The sleeve is then wrapped around or pulled over an inflatable bladder commonly known by those of skill in the art as a "packer." The packer is then pulled, via cables attached to either or both ends of the packer, to the damaged area within the conduit. Once the bladder is oriented proximate the rupture, the bladder is inflated by means of an air pump, the air pump connected to the interior of the bladder via a hose. As the bladder expands, the sleeve is pressed against the interior conduit wall and the rupture therein to cover or fill in the rupture. When the epoxy impregnated repair hardens, the packer is deflated and pulled out of the conduit, thereby leaving a new repair pipe in place. This becomes a permanent repair and, in most cases, is stronger than the original pipe.
The present invention, in certain embodiments, is directed to an improved point repair packer and method for repairing conduit ruptures.